Absolute Kinography

July 15, 2010

Dziga Vertov’s Man with a Movie Camera (1929) is without a doubt one of the most visually inspiring films I have ever seen. It’s a big statement, I know. But it’s the truth.

As I have mentioned in this blog in the past, I am a huge, HUGE fan of Soviet Avant Garde, particularly, the work of the Stenberg Brothers (who created both posters for this film, seen above). These men, along with Vertov, in my opinion, pioneered experimental collage in the visual arts world.

Man with a Movie Camera is a silent documentary film that serves the purpose of showcasing day to day life as is. No narrative, no actors, just a celebration of the proletarian soviet lifestyle. An objective view through the kino-eye, also known as the film eye. Kino pravda (“film truth”) was the result of this type of filming. Vertov believed that the kino “eye” revealed a hidden truth that could not be seen with the naked eye.

“This new experimentation work by Kino-Eye is directed towards the creation of an authentically international absolute language of cinema – ABSOLUTE KINOGRAPHY – on the basis of its complete separation from the language of theatre and literature.” – Dziga Vertov, 1929

Check out this groundbreaking film for yourself at the Castro Theater this Sunday, July 18th at 2:30pm, $12 in advance, $14 at the door.